My favourite cakeproduced by Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha, is a bold cinematic work that transcends cultural and political borders. With a journey marked with success, My favourite cake conquered major international festivals. Screened during the 45ᵉ edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) in the Official Selection Section section, the film attracted a packed room, arousing passionate reactions from the public. This success at CIFF is added to others of international distinctions: the prize for the ecumenical jury and the Fipresci Prize won at the Berlin Festival, as well as the Silver Hugo Award at the Chicago Festival, two awards at the Calgary International Film Festival: Best International Film and Public Prize.
However, behind this brilliant international journey hide bitter realities. Directors Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha, based in Iran, live under the constant threat of the authorities. Forced to leave the country, they undergo pressures which testify to the difficulties of being an artist in a totalitarian society. They could not attend the first of their film in Berlin. Their film was produced in semi-circular conditions, defying the prohibitions. On the screen, the main actress appears without veil in domestic scenes, a transgression of Iranian laws imposing the wearing of hijab in all circumstances on the screen. Even more, My favourite cake Stages prohibited behaviors: a woman who takes the initiative to flirt with a man, an unmarried couple sharing an intimate evening, wine consumption, dances – ordinary acts elsewhere, but which constitute real provocations in Iran.
The courage of the filmmakers is palpable in each image of the film, and their work resonates as a cry of freedom in a context of censorship and oppression.
A simple but universal story
The film tells the story of Mahin, a 70 -year -old woman living alone in a house near Tehran, surrounded by a garden. Since the loss of her husband and the departure of her only daughter abroad, Mahin has led a lonely and routine life. Her days are punctuated by video calls with her daughter-often interrupted by the cries of grandchildren-and by sporadic meetings with her friends. During an afternoon around a tea, an idea germinates in it: why could she not, at her age, find love or simply a companion to break monotony?
Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Faramarz, a lonely man like her, in a restaurant for retirees. Their meeting opens the door to a subtle and emotional relationship, where every shared moment becomes a rare light of hope in a differently dark daily life.
Loneliness as a central theme
My favourite cake Explore with overwhelming finesse the weight of loneliness, a universal experience which reaches heartbreaking proportions in the Iranian context. In our societies, the loneliness of the elderly is already difficult to bear: the missing spouses, the distant children, the days that look alike. But in a society like Iran, this loneliness is exacerbated by omnipresent constraints.
Mahin, like many Iranian women, comes up against prohibitions that restrict her social interactions and her freedom. Mixity is strictly controlled, leisure is limited, trips are monitored, and each gesture is subject to the vigilance of the authorities or neighbors, as this intrusive neighbor who strikes her door to ensure that no man is present at home.
The film illustrates this daily oppression with a poignant intensity. In a key scene, Mahin goes alone to a park and attends an altercation between the customs police and a young woman who refuses to wear her veil correctly. Mahin intervenes to defend the young woman, a daring act which reflects not only her disapproval of these unjust laws, but also a nod to young Iranian women who are fighting today to get rid of the compulsory hijab. This moment reveals an essential feature of Mahin’s personality: a combative spirit which refuses to be crushed by oppression.
“” Do you kill them for a few strands of hair? “Replied Mahin, a direct reference for public members to Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after her arrest.
When she manages to save the young woman (and to avoid being herself arrested for the same crime), Mahin said to her: ” You have to defend yourself – A message of empowerment that cannot be tolerated under the country’s repressive regime.
A subtle portrait of resistance and humanity
Beyond loneliness, My favourite cake is a deep reflection on the quest for happiness in a context of deprivation. Each gesture of Mahin becomes a silent act of resistance: make up alone, watch romantic films, drink a glass of wine with Faramarz. These moments, however simple, have enormous meaning in a society where even the most commonplace pleasures are prohibited.
The film also echoes the nostalgia for an Iran before the Islamic revolution, which Mahin evokes with melancholy. She remembers the beaches where she wore bikinis, evenings where she danced in high heels and low -cut dresses. These memories contrast painfully with her present, where she must comply with rigid rules that suffocate her individuality.
A universal message
Without revealing the conclusion, the film leaves the spectator with a sweetness-bitter feeling. Mahin and Faramarz, although united by a deep connection, come up against the implacable realities of a regime that restricts any form of individual freedom. Their relationship thus becomes a metaphor for the aspirations of an entire people: fighting for moments of happiness in a hostile environment.
The performances of the actors, especially that of Lili Farhadpour in the role of Mahin, are remarkable. Each movement, each silence, expresses an emotional richness that touches the spectator to the deepest.
A bold and moving work
My favourite cake is much more than a film; It is a militant work, a declaration of humanity in the face of oppression. Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha offer a vibrant testimony of the intimate and collective struggles that define the human condition in Iran. Their courage, both artistic and personal, deserves to be greeted.
For those looking for a cinema that moves, inspires and questions, My favourite cake is a rare pearl. It transcends cultural borders to offer a universal message on solitude, love and the quest for freedom. An essential work, which resonates far beyond the screen.
Neïla Driss
